Customer Reviews

While You Are Away

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Our world is facing uncertain times to say the least. In many cases, those who are paying a great price during these times are the young children of the soldiers stationed overseas. Eileen Spinelli, wife of author Jerry Spinelli addresses these young people and the issues they face in her book WHILE YOU ARE AWAY. The book tells of a variety of young children who will do various things to remember their parents serving in the military until Mom or Dad returns home again. The soldiers are both fathers and mothers and the children are various races and nationalities which gives the book a broad appeal. Renee Graef's beautiful illustrations add to the charm of this timely book.

This book is a must for the children of our service men and women as they cope with an overwhelming situation in their young lives, but will also help other young people understand the challenges facing many of their neighbors, classmates, and friends. We should be thankful such a book has been written, but let us also hope that the situation our world finds itself in may be resolved quickly so that this book can be outdated very soon.

This book is amazing. The illustrations are so beautiful, and the emotions very real. The author captures the feelings without being overly wordy or sappy. Very well written.

Since this book was so special to my children (and me) during my husband's last deployment, I've shared it with other friends' families during their deployments, and also with my children's teachers to read in their classrooms. They've all given it rave reviews. The teachers especially wanted their own copies to be able to read to the military children in their classes each year, since deployments are routine in our neighborhood.

I just read this book to my daughter, and we loved it. It gives the perspective of three children whose parents are a sailor, an airwoman, and a soldier. It was touching, with the children missing their parents who are far, far away. It's not the best of Spinelli's work, but my daughter was able to see that other military children miss their parents while they are separated, as well. I definitely recommend it to all military families with young children. Perfect for toddlers to early school-age!

I'm not sure if I'll be able to read this book to my baby without crying. Great choice for children with deployed parents.

I first came across this book while working at a youth activities center on a military base in Corpus Christi, Texas. I fell in love with it instantly and have loved it ever since. We had about 30 or 40 of these books around in our center free for the children to read whenever they felt like it. It is a wonderful book for children who have family members away on deployment. This is an amzing book and I highly recommend it!

I bought this book for my step-daughter while I am stationed away from home for a year. My wife has told me that she loves this book. They have read it about 10 times within a 2 month period just before she goes to bed. Very satisfied!

I bought this for my 3 yr. old daughter, my husband is in the military and I thought it would help her deal with him being gone. It made me cry the first time I read it! It is very sweet and simple.

The book helped my children (4 and 5) to understand what being far, far away meant and were excited to see they were not alone in missing their dad.

We also talked about how some kids mom leave too. So we were able to talk about what I do- since I stay at home and that my kids can know there is always going to be one parent (me) with them. I also think this book would help a dual military couple.

I have to admit, I personally, had a hard time getting through the book (I held back tears allot).

I think as parents when we get this book we need to read and explain it so our kids understand (at their level) the authors sentiments and if able take the children to visit different bases and different branches.

This will allow the children to see the world is much bigger than their own little world and helps them see they are not alone in this adventure.

My kids think daddy is a super-hero and fights the bad guys! I loved this book and highly recommend it.

I think this is a great book! My husband is on his first 6 month deployment. Our children are 6 & 8 and it was easy for them to relate to it. I love that it talks about things that the children miss, how they remember, and even looking forward to the homecoming!

I bought this book for my children and it really helped my kids deal with my separation. It let them know that they were not alone and that other kids were going through the same thing. I also think it helped for them to see that deployments are temporary and that I would be coming back home.